City officially dedicates Leyendecker Landing water retention facility

City officially dedicates Leyendecker Landing water retention facility Main Photo

14 Apr 2022


By: George Slaughter - Katy Times

Several former mayors joined Mayor Bill Hastings Tuesday for the dedication of Leyendecker Landing, a city water detention facility north of Morton Road and east of Pitts Road.

Leyendecker was a longtime city engineer who served in that role for other area cities. He died in December 2020.

After Leyendecker’s death, Ward B Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem Doran Dowdle suggested the facility be named in Leyendecker’s honor.

Hastings spoke with several former living mayors about the idea, and they were enthusiastic about it. Hastings chaired a former mayors advisory group, comprised of former mayors J.W. “Skip” Conner (1991-95), M.H. “Hank” Schmidt (1995-2001), Doyle G. Callender (2001-07), Don Elder Jr. (2007-13), Fabol Hughes (2013-17) and Chuck Brawner (2017-19). All spoke fondly of Leyendecker when the Katy City Council in 2021 named the facility.

At Tuesday’s dedication, Hastings read a proclamation that said the group had a vision for the landing as a tribute to Leyendecker and his service. The former mayors met with the Leyendecker family to create a park style plan for the landing, the proclamation said.

“It is the hope of the former mayors advisory group and the Leyendecker family that Leyendecker landing will be a place of deep reflection, a nature walk, passive and serene, with the amenities, playground equipment, park benches and items of nostalgia that reflect the life of David Leyendecker,” the proclamation said.

The proclamation said that Leyendecker’s daughter, Kim, happened upon a quote that reminded her of her father and describe how he would approach the park. The quote, from Camille Pissarro, is, “Blessed are they to see beautiful things and humble places where other people see nothing.”

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